Several head coaches are having outstanding seasons – names like Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson, and Liam Coen come to mind as leading candidates for NFL Coach of the Year. But according to Saquon Barkley, everyone is overlooking one crucial name: the coach he once dreaded facing, but now fully supports.
A lot has changed since Barkley joined thePhiladelphia Eagles, moving to a team that allowed him to win a Super Bowl. None of it, in his eyes, would have been possible without the intellectual force behind the operation – Nick Sirianni.
For the Eagles’ star running back, Sirianni absolutely deserves to be in the conversation for the best coach in the NFL.
“I don’t know why he doesn’t get the respect he should get,” Barkley said after a Christmas Eve practice ahead of Sunday’s matchup between the 10-5 Eagles and the 11-4 Buffalo Bills. “You really don’t hear about him. I’ll say, he’s the best coach in the NFL. You can’t name a better coach over the last five years.
“Who’s been a better coach over the last five years than Nick Sirianni?”
He Used to Hate Facing Him
It sounds ironic now. During his time with the New York Giants, Saquon Barkley admitted he couldn’t stand going up against Sirianni. But being on the same sideline has completely changed his perspective.
“There’s a reason why this team has been super successful,” Barkley said. “It’s been pretty cool to go from going against him and not being a fan of him to seeing what he’s all about. I think he does a really good job.
“He’s the perfect coach for Philadelphia.”
And the results back it up. Nick Sirianni has led the Eagles to sustained success, including another Super Bowl championship, and could once again guide them back to the sport’s biggest stage.
One thing remains certain: despite all the winning, the NFL Coach of the Year award is still missing from his résumé – and Barkley believes that needs to change.
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